Jakab cocked his head to the side and considered Gwenyth. “Remember the fight where Chancery injured his head. The saw-tooth made him wear a helmet. I think it’s still in the storage room. Gwenyth is smaller, but maybe we can adjust it to fit her needs.”
“Would that work for you, my lodestone?” Leo asked.
“Anything is worth a try,” Gwenyth said. “I don’t understand why the bugs don’t bother you.”
“They do,” Leo said. “But they seldom bite us because they have difficulty getting through our scales. Also, we fly higher where it’s cooler with few bugs. I didn’t want you to freeze.”
“I could wear a thicker coat and perhaps gloves to keep my hands from freezing. Let’s try the helmet combined with more clothes. How long did you say the trip to Perfume Isle would take?”
“A minimum of two hours,” Leo said. “It depends on the weather and wind levels. Sometimes, the trip takes longer.”
“Is there somewhere I can purchase gloves and a warm coat?” Gwenyth asked.
“The coat should be easy,” Leo said. “We might have to improvise until we can get gloves made to fit your hands.”
“That’s fine. I think that will—” Gwenyth broke off, her eyes going wide. “Who are they?”
Jakab and Leo shifted position for a better view.
Leo stiffened.“Soldiers.”
“This is bad,” Jakab murmured. “They’re heading in this direction.”
The group of ten soldiers marched toward them without hesitation. Their scarlet uniforms drew the eye and denoted their training and positions within the castle guards. These soldiers were his parents’ guards.
The troop halted in front of them, and one soldier stepped out of line. He opened a coiled message and started reading in a pompous voice.
“Gwenyth, The Weak Human. I charge you with enticing Leo, The Younger Son, and distracting him from his formal duties. By order ofQille, The Taker of Life, you will be imprisoned, pending a public trial. Take her,” he snapped to a soldier.
“No!” Leo roared. His dragon burst from him, his clothes ripping at the seams. Before his change finished, a dart pierced his skin. The immediate numbness of the fast-acting drug had Leo staggering and collapsing. “Gwenyth,” he cried, struggling to get to her side, crawling.
He was vaguely aware of Jakab’s attempts to help, but the soldiers fired at his friend too. Jakab thumped to the ground beside him as darkness swooped at Leo’s mind. His bloody parents. A fishy stench clung to the castle, and his parents were at the center. Leo fought the weakness of his limbs, strained to climb to his feet.
Gwenyth cried out, and even drugged and almost unconscious, Leo heard the terror in her scream.
“Gwenyth,” he shouted, but the words emerged as an unintelligible croak. His eyelids grew heavy even as he continued his fight. Beside him, Jakab attempted to rise. His friend toppled back with a mighty thump. Leo groaned again. His parents had bested him this time.
There wouldn’t be a next time.
He was done.
Once he discovered their scheme, he’d foil them. He’d seize their precious control and power. Leo might fill the position of the youngest son, but he’d become successful in his own right. The minute the drug released its grip on him, he’d rescue Gwenyth, and they’d leave this cursed castle. This was the last time his parents would use him to further their own ends.
The absolute last time.
11 – Things Take A Bad Turn
A dragon soldier snapped cuffs on her wrists, and once he’d adjusted the size to fit, he forced her away from Leo and Jakab.
“Move, human,” he ordered.
Gwenyth didn’t have to search his face to understand he’d enjoy applying more force. His satisfied expression told her he’d savor the physical violence. She trudged in the direction he shoved her, every part of her screaming for Leo. She craned her head, and tears filmed her vision on seeing Leo and Jakab lying on the field. Four dragons hovered in the air above the battlefield, the group of scarlet-clad soldiers having attracted their attention. Not one interfered with the soldiers, but once she and her captors left the grassy area, the dragons landed beside Leo and his friend to render aid.
Her breath eased out. They’d be okay. Their friends and fellow-dragons would look after them.
She was the one who faced danger.
Popsicles.
